Report Slams Stimulus-Plan Uses

By

Louise Radnofsky

Updated Aug. 4, 2010 12:01 a.m. ET

WASHINGTON—Republican senators released a report Tuesday singling out 100 projects funded by the White House's economic-stimulus plan that they call wasteful, including spending on certain scientific research, little-used public infrastructure and leisure facilities.

Sens. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma and John McCain of Arizona also highlighted stimulus-funded construction work which appeared to be inefficient or has been described as disrupting local businesses, in a list of projects which they say "give taxpayers the blues."

Both men have campaigned on the subject of government spending in recent years and have published two previous lists of stimulus projects they oppose. The lists, derived from local newspaper articles and reports filed by the recipients of stimulus dollars, have helped fuel opposition among conservatives to the stimulus package passed in February 2009.

In response, the White House released its own list of ten inaccuracies in the senators' reporting, saying that they had included projects which had been canceled or were not funded by the stimulus plan, and distorted details of others.

Liz Oxhorn, the White House spokeswoman on the stimulus plan, described the list as "yet another partisan political document from Senators McCain and Coburn that is full of false, misleading and misguided attacks" and noted that some of the projects included in the list had been praised by other Republicans.

The latest report described funding for scientists at U.S. institutions to conduct research overseas, such as a study of exotic ants in the Southwest Indian Ocean Islands and east Africa; support for social sciences investigations, including $317,000 for researchers studying voter response to media coverage of political campaigns; and stimulus funding for students to gain "international research experience," including a trip for astronomy graduate students to present findings on galaxy formation in Ghana. Descriptions of the projects suggested they support scant job growth.

The National Science Foundation received $3 billion in the stimulus package to award as research grants, most of which went for energy or climate-related research, or work in hard-science fields.

Defenders of the awards, including those made for social sciences, say that they were intended to help protect longer-term investments in academic research, and that they could have benefits in the future even if they lack immediate or obvious applications.

The list from Messrs. Coburn and McCain also includes details of scientific research grants from the National Institutes of Health into the effect of cocaine on squirrel monkeys, whether different product labeling would affect drinkers' decisions on their alcohol consumption and the benefits of yoga for menopausal women.

The NIH, which is handling $9.5 billion in stimulus money for research grants, has previously said that projects have gone through a rigorous peer-review process. Sally Rockey, the agency's acting deputy director for extramural research, said in an interview that some of the topics listed involved research on "enormous public health issues" that the agency was obliged to address.

The senators also drew attention to the use of funds for leisure and tourism facilities, including some which they said were currently closed to the public or rarely used.

The stimulus bill included an amendment to prevent dollars going to museums, sporting stadiums, casinos or swimming pools. The list from the senators included examples of spending which has skirted that requirement, such as a city awarding funds received from the Department of Housing and Urban Development for a new indoor waterpark.

The publication, which covers funding decisions made by Washington agencies and state and local governments, comes amid a six-week tour by the White House and top administration officials promoting stimulus projects around the country under the banner of 'Recovery Summer.'

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com.